Kids in the Kitchen: Pumpkin Bread

Here's a very special post from Doug in our Arkansas Test Kitchen...

 

 

 

 

 

With the passing of my mother in May, we had to go through all of her stuff, each of us finding different things that made a special connection to her. The one thing that we all wanted was her recipes. Among them are Angel Eggs (Deviled Eggs, but my brother didn't like calling them Deviled Eggs so we changed the name), Snow Cream (the last thing she ever made for my son and I when we were home at Christmas), and her Pumpkin Bread.  It is well publicized that we here at Cool Dads Cook love pumpkin so what better way to pay tribute than to make some of her Pumpkin Bread and post it on the blog?

We call this Nana's Pumpkin Bread, because when my son and nephew were born (10 days apart) my mother wanted to be called Nana. Why Nana no one knows, but that's what she wanted to be called!

Nana's Pumpkin Bread

4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
3 cups sugar
3 1/2 cups flour
5 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup chopped pecans
1 can pumpkin puree

1. Mix together eggs, vegetable oil, and sugar in a large bowl.

2. Chop 1 cup pecans

3. Add plain flour, pumpkin pie spice, salt, cinnamon, vanilla, baking soda, chopped pecans, and pumpkin puree.
4. Mix for approximately 5 minutes
5. Spray cooking spray into 4 loaf pans
6. Pour batter equally into prepared loaf pans

7. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean

 

One of the ways  we had lil' dude help while we were cooking was to have him count as I was measuring out ingredients.

When the lil' dude helps in the kitchen, he has a lot of ownership in his work, and it's also a great way to get more nutritious food into his diet. Lil' dude will not eat anything that is not a chicken nugget or a fish stick, unless he helps make it. After he helped make this pumpkin bread, he now asks to make / eat it every day; this makes his mom and cool dad extremely happy.

 

We hope you enjoyed this special recipe as much as we did!

 

Stay Cool,

The Cool Dads Cook Crew

Apple Butter Grilled Chicken

After our recent blog post of What a Crock Apple Butter we did a web search of what other things you can do with Apple Butter besides just putting it on toast. The Arkansas test kitchen came across this great recipe from Taste of Home, so we tested it out. What better way to combine Apple Butter than with one of Cool Dads favorite ways to cook: on the grill!

Apple Butter BBQ Chicken

2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 roasting chicken (6 to 7 pounds)
12 oz. unsweetened apple juice, divided
1/2 cup apple butter (want to make your own? read our What a Crock Apple Butter blog)
1/4 cup barbecue sauce (we used Redneck Lipstick)

1. Clean the inner cavity of the chicken, removing any additional parts that might be inside.
2. Rinse chicken thoroughly, and pat dry with paper towel
3. Combine salt, garlic powder, black pepper and cayenne pepper in a shaker and sprinkle liberally over chicken
4. Prepare grill for indirect grilling using a grill pan
5. Pour 6 oz of apple juice into drip pan
6. Pour remaining 6 oz of apple juice into empty and cleaned soda can
7. Place chicken and soda can onto beer can chicken holder
8. Place chicken on grill over drip pan
9. Cover and grill on indirect heat for 1 1/2 - 2 hours or until instant read meat thermometer reads 180 degrees.
10. While the chicken is on the grill, mix together the apple butter and barbecue sauce
11. During the last 15 to 30 minutes, baste the chicken with the Apple Butter mixture every 5 to 10 minutes (remember that the sugar in the barbecue sauce and apple butter with caramelize on the chicken).
12 Remove chicken from the grill and allow to rest 10 minutes covered with aluminum foil before carving

We'd love to hear from our readers- any interesting ideas to utilize apple butter? We'd love to hear from you!

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Football Friday: Corndogs

Corndogs. They're one of those rare, universal foods that both kids and adults can agree on. They bring back warm, nostalgic memories of county fairs, summertime and childhood. And what better way to have one of your favorite treats than in muffin form?

One of our loyal fans, Rachael recommended this recipe, and the Arkansas test kitchen took to it immediately. Here's Doug's blog:

Tristan was excited to start cooking as you can tell from the video above. He was even more excited when he found out we were going to use the corn meal that we purchased on a recent trip to the Parker Homestead. These treats are perfect for either a tailgate party or to pack for lunches.


Mini Corn Dog Muffins

1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 hot dogs, quartered

 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Combine butter, applesauce, and sugar: whisk to combine

 

 

 

3. Add eggs and buttermilk; whisk to incorporate
4. In a separate bowl combine baking soda, cornmeal, all purpose flour, and salt
5. Whisk wet ingredients into dry ingredients and combine
6. Spray a mini muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray
7. Spoon 1 tablespoon of batter into each muffin cup
8. Place one hot dog piece into the middle of each muffin cup
9. Bake 8 - 12 minutes or until cornbread is golden brown
10. Cool 5 minutes before serving

If you are in a hurry, you can use a cornbread mix like Jiffy Cornbread Mix, cut the hot dogs and complete step 8 - 10.

Another great addition would be to put 1/2 cup of grated cheddar cheese into your cornbread mixture.

Test Kitchen Notes:
 -Definitely use a mini muffin pan for this recipe!
-Only fill each muffin tin halfway full.
-Ketchup and mustard are a must when it comes time to serve these bad boys.

Recipe adapted from Iowa Girl Eats


Football Predictions

Detroit vs. Dallas
Dad #1: Cowboys
Dad #2: Cowboys

Cleveland vs. Kansas City
Dad #1: Chiefs
Dad #2: Chiefs

New England vs. Miami
Dad #1: Patriots
Dad #2: Patriots

New Orleans vs. Buffalo
Dad #1: Saints
Dad #2: Saints

Philly vs. NYG
Dad #1: Eagles
Dad #2: Eagles

San Francisco vs. Jacksonville
Dad #1: 49ers
Dad #2: 49ers

Cincinnati vs. NYJ
Dad #1: Jets
Dad #2: Bengals

Pittsburgh vs. Oakland
Dad #1: Steelers
Dad #2: Raiders

Washington vs. Denver
Dad #1: Broncos
Dad #2: Broncos

Atlanta vs. Arizona
Dad #1: Falcons
Dad #2: Falcons

Green Bay vs. Minnesota
Dad #1: PACKERS!!!
Dad #2: PACKERS!!!

St. Louis vs. Seattle
Dad #1: Seahawks
Dad #2: Seahawks

Hope your trick-or-treat weekends are full of fun, family and fun-sized candy bars!

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Kids in the Kitchen: Quiche

There was an advertising campaign a few years ago that bragged, "Real Men Don't Eat Quiche!"

Sorry, the Cool Dads Crew strongly disagrees. Here in the Wisconsin test kitchen, we've been making quiche since our daughter Sawyer was a few years old. In fact, some might argue it was the first dish our Wisconsin Cool Dad, Kevin, perfected. Seriously... you've never seen a man more proud of a homemade quiche. And justifiably so!

Quiche was an easy meal to throw together, and it was a guaranteed way to get protein and vegetables into Sawyer's diet. Now that she's five, it's still an easy dinner that we have at least once a month; and it's something she loves to help her Daddy make. Quiche... it's not just for breakfast anymore. Although it is an easy breakfast idea. Did we mention it freezes and refrigerates incredibly well?


Cool Dads Quiche

1 standard size pie crust- we prefer the frozen kind
3 eggs
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup milk
1 t mustard
1/2 t salt
3 shakes of Penzey's Sunny Paris Seasoning (a good quality seasoning mix like Mrs. Dash's will work as well)
Handful sliced mushrooms, chopped
Handful fresh spinach, chopped

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. If using a frozen pie crust, let it thaw completely. Once thawed, sprinkle cheese onto the bottom of the pie crust.

In a bowl, combine the remainder of the ingredients.

Side Note: Here in the Wisconsin test kitchen, we're more than slightly obsessed with Penzey's Spices. Not only are they local to Wisconsin, but they're all kinds of delicious. We use the Sunny Paris Seasoning Sawyer is proudly showing off in just about everything from eggs to roast chicken to soups. Yup, it's that versatile. Sawyer even tells us it's an integral part to making scrambled eggs... they're just not the same without Sunny Paris.
Here's a link to their website if you're interested in finding out more:
http://www.penzeys.com/


Once the ingredients are combined, pour into the pie tin over the cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes. Use a toothpick to make sure the center is set. Let the quiche sit for 2-3 minutes before serving.

Notes from the Test Kitchen:

-Our quiche was vegetarian, but adding ham or bacon would make the quiche even more delicious.
-We always use mozzarella cheese because Sawyer has some strange aversion to cheddar; but Swiss, cheddar or even pepper jack would be tasty alternatives.
-We had just received two huge bags of fresh spinach from our CSA delivery this past week, hence the spinach and mushroom quiche; but red peppers, Kalamata olives, and even broccoli are all great additions to quiche.

African Chili

One of the best things about starting up an endeavor like Cool Dads Cook; is meeting up with other foodies and bloggers that share your passion for delicious, homemade food. A few weeks ago, Cool Dads was approached by a Milwaukee area cook, Yollande Deacon- the owner of Afro Fusion Cuisine. Yollande was kind enough to bring us samples of two of her different spice blends; as well as a jar of her West African tomato herb sauce.

We took to Yollande right away, because of her passion for supporting local farmers, the fact her spices are low-sodium and full of real ingredients (in her tomato sauce you could see fresh chunks of ripe tomato and onion); and her desire to make West African food accessible to everyone. Oh- and the fact her spices and sauces were delicious!

We actually met with Yollande two nights in a row- the first night when she came to drop off the spices and sauce; and the next night when she dropped off some different sausage samples for us to try. Best believe the Arkansas test kitchen was pretty jealous of all the delicious samples we had....

Here in the Wisconsin test kitchen, we took the tomato herb sauce and decided to use it as the base for chili.

African Inspired Chili

1 jar Joloff & Thieboudienne West African Tomato Herb Sauce
1 pound ground turkey, browned
2 cans chick peas, drained and rinsed
2 whole tomatoes, diced
3 medium sized carrots, chopped
1.5 cups sliced mushrooms
1 cup chicken/vegetable stock

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours, or high for 3 hours. This is guaranteed to fill your house with a delicious, curry aroma that's going to have your mouth watering all day.

The chili was delicious, hearty and had a small amount of heat and delicious curry flavor. The vegetables paired well with the sauce; and it was the perfect warm meal to eat while watching Sunday football. We're hooked.

Are you interested in trying some of Yollande's sauces? They're available for sale at:
Good Harvest Market- Pewaukee
Metcalfe's Sentry- Wauwatosa
Outpost Grocery Store locations

Outside of Milwaukee and interested in purchasing? It's in the works! Check out Yollande's website for recipes, ideas and even a free cookbook download!
http://www.learnafricancuisine.com/

We love supporting other cooks, and can't wait to share other recipes inspired by Yollande soon!

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Cook Crew

Football Friday: Hamburger Sliders

Here in the Wisconsin test kitchen, we love having a full house of people over to watch football on Sundays. We usually end up with some random friends and family members; all screaming at the television, drinking beers and eating some delicious comfort food. Yup, that's a quality Sunday right there. It's gotten even better since we've gotten a huge, comfy sectional couch and a massive television. We've become pretty popular on Sundays.

A few Sundays ago we were craving some burgers, and trying to decide the best way to make burgers for a crowd of people. Yup, it was time for some sliders.

Game Day Sliders
Recipe courtesy of Retro Dinner Diva

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 package,  Lipton Onion Soup Mix
2 tablespoon mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon garlic power
1 package (12 count) mini hamburger/slider buns

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium sized bowl, thoroughly mix ground beef, 1 cup shredded cheese, onion soup mix, mayonnaise, and garlic powder.

3. Press/flatten hamburger into a 9×13 pan to form a thin layer (about 1/4 thick). Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes until cooked through.

4. Remove from oven and cut hamburger into 12 squares with a pizza cutter or knife. Top with slices of cheese and then place on buns. Place sliders onto large baking sheet.
5. Once all the sliders are on a baking sheet, cover with foil and bake for 10-15 minutes until the cheese is melted.

We served these bad boys with some spicy barbeque sauce, pickles and ketchup. They were juicy, melty and delicious. Also: this recipe is easily doubled if you're feeding a crowd like we were.

Football Friday Predictions

Atlanta vs. Tampa Bay
Dad #1: Buccaneers
Dad #2: Buccaneers

Cincinnati vs. Detroit
Dad #1: Lions
Dad #2: Lions

Miami vs. Buffalo
Dad #1: Dolphins
Dad #2: Bills

NYJ vs. New England
Dad #1: Patriots
Dad #2: Patriots

Dallas vs. Philadelphia
Dad #1: Eagles
Dad #2: Cowboys

Washington vs. Chicago
Dad #1: Bears
Dad #2: Bears

Carolina vs. St. Louis
Dad #1: Panthers
Dad #2: Panthers

Jacksonville vs. San Diego
Dad #1: Chargers
Dad #2: Jaguars

San Francisco vs. Tennessee
Dad #1: Titans
Dad #2: 49ers

Green Bay over Cleveland
Dad #1: Browns
Dad #2: Packers

Kansas City vs. Houston
Dad #1: Chiefs
Dad #2: Chiefs

Baltimore vs. Pittsburgh
Dad #1: Ravens
Dad #2: Ravens

Denver vs. Indy
Dad #1: Broncos
Dad #2: Broncos

Minnesota vs. NYG
Dad #1: Vikings
Dad #2: Giants

Here's wishing all our Cool Dads fans a weekend full of delicious food and football action!

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Kids in the Kitchen Wednesday: Pumpkin Patch Fun!

 

 

 

 

What better way to celebrate the fall season than a trip to the pumpkin patch!  This is exactly what both test kitchens did during the last week. Tristan (from the Arkansas test kitchen) had the pleasure of his cousin Ian from Nashville visiting to go with him. Both boys had fun feeding catfish (yes, there was a catfish pond in the middle of the pumpkin patch) and going down the large slide; but what they both really enjoyed was the hay ride and the horseback ride.

 

Meanwhile, in the Wisconsin test kitchen, we traveled to Swan's Pumpkin Farm where Sawyer got to explore a corn maze, take a hay ride, feed some goats and go on a pony ride. Just like Tristan, the pony ride was the best part of the day. Look at that big smile!

 

 

 

Of course the most important part of the pumpkin farm trip is picking out the pumpkin to take back home!  Well, that pumpkin tuned into Tristan and Dad’s first ever attempt at carving a Jack O Lantern. Sad but true, at four years old Tristan has never had a Jack O Lantern.  Dad promised him he would NEVER go without one again.

 

 

 

So, it was time to carve the pumpkin and for a first attempt, it didn't go that badly. However here are some helpful tips The Cool Dads learned:

 

 Cool Dads Pumpkin Carving Tips

 

1. Put down newspaper or garbage bags to protect your work surface.
2. Cut the top of the pumpkin at an angle; that way when you are finished it will not fall into the pumpkin- there is something there to help hold it.
3. Use a dry erase marker to mark out your cuts, this way it will wipe right off if your little one changes their mind about their pumpkin design.  Or better yet- go online and find a template and use that instead.
4. Place the pumpkin seeds and goo into a bowl to save for the recipe below.

 

 

 

 So, you have the pumpkin all emptied out, the seeds in a bowl, and the stringy, gross insides on the newspaper. Now what?

 

Cool Dads Pumpkin Seeds

 

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees
2. Spread the seeds on a cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray
3. Lightly salt the pumpkin seeds
4. Place in the oven for 45 minutes
5. Remove from the oven, let cool and enjoy

 

As we get closer to the holiday season, we look forward to sharing more fun family traditions and recipes with you.

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

Fall Comfort Food in a Bowl: Spiced Apple, Butternut Squash Macaroni & Cheese

This past weekend in the Wisconsin test kitchen was pure magic. After a few weekends of constant go-go-go activity; we had nothing on the calendar we needed to do. Also, it was raining- which meant we had a great excuse to NOT complete the yard work that has been hanging over our heads for the past few weeks.

It was the perfect afternoon to crack open a few beers, and create some delicious food. We had found a recipe on Pinterest for a Butternut Squash Macaroni & Cheese and we thought it would be fun to make. It's an excellent way to incorporate vegetables into your kid's beloved mac and cheese; and it adds a delicious, creamy texture. We took it one step further by adding caramelized onions, spiced apples and the holy grail... bacon. The results? Well, lets just say the 9"x9" pan we made vanished pretty quickly and we're already itching to make this again. It really is the epitome of everything you want to eat in fall: satisfying, warm, substantial... and did we mention bacon? Mmmm...

Spiced Apple Butternut Squash Macaroni & Cheese


1/2 box elbow macaroni

1 cup canned butternut squash puree (we used baby food. It's easy and gives you the creamy texture you need)

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons evaporated milk

1/4 cup chicken broth

2 oz. cream cheese

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup onions, sliced thinly

1 large crunchy apple, chopped

4-6 slices precooked bacon, diced

cumin

cinnamon

nutmeg

 

 

Heat butter in a skillet over low heat. When melted, add onions and let caramelize for at least 30 minutes.

Once onions are caramelized, add apples and cook for 5 minutes until slightly softened. Add a dash of cinnamon, nutmeg and cumin powder. Remove from heat.

Cook the pasta according to directions. Drain and return to pan over low heat. Add butternut squash, chicken broth, evaporated milk, cream cheese, one cup cheddar cheese and the apple/onion mixture. Once combined, add in salt.

 

Pour mixture into a greased 9x9 pan and sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese and bacon. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes uncovered, or until cheese is melted.

This is the perfect weekend meal to make- it's something that will go over well with both kids and adults. My only test kitchen note? Consider doubling the recipe. Yep... it's THAT good.

We look forward to sharing more fall, family comfort food recipes with you soon.

 

Stay Cool,

The Cool Dads Crew

Football Friday: Black Bean Chili

It's the last day of What a Crock Week! We hope you enjoyed the recipes as much as we enjoyed sharing them with you. We're ending the week with a chili recipe that we guarantee to be a game day success. This is a recipe the Arkansas test kitchen created and perfected over time: it's a Cool Dads Exclusive recipe. We hope you love it as much as we do. With a cool, windy weekend on the way here in Wisconsin; this is the perfect warm-you-up comfort food recipe.

Black Bean Chili

1 lb. dried black beans

1 T olive oil

1 medium onion

3 cloves garlic

1 lb. mushrooms

1 tbsp. chili powder

1 tsp. sea salt

1 quart vegetable broth or stock

14 oz. can diced tomatoes

6 oz. can tomato paste

Onion powder (to taste)

Garlic powder (to taste)

Crushed red pepper (to taste)

SUPER SECRET INGRIDENT: Chipotle Tabasco Sauce (DON’T TELL ANYONE)

 

Optional Toppings:

Corn chips

Sour cream

Shredded cheese

 

1. The night before making the chili, rinse the beans until they are no longer dirty.
2. Cover the black beans with water and soak overnight at room temperature.
3. Prepare the fresh ingredients: Dice the onions, mince the garlic, and slice the mushrooms (this may be done the night before and refrigerated).
4. Sauté the vegetables by heating 1 T olive oil over medium heat, and add onion, garlic, and mushrooms. Stir in 1 T Chili Powder and 1 t Sea Salt. Sauté for 5 minutes until the onions are tender (this also may be done the night before and refrigerated).

5. 10 - 12 hours before serving, drain the beans and discard the liquid. Place the beans in the slow cooker.

6. Transfer the onion mixture to the slow cooker and cover with 1 quart vegetable broth, crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Cook on low for 10 - 12 hours.
7. 30 minutes before serving, add onion powder, garlic powder, and Chipotle Tabasco sauce to taste.
8. When ready to serve, garnish with cheese, sour cream, or corn chips.

Football  Picks

Cincinnati vs. Buffalo
Dad #1: Bengals
Dad #2: Bengals

Cleveland vs. Detroit
Dad #1: Browns
Dad #2: Lions

KC vs. Oakland
Dad #1: Chiefs
Dad #2: Chiefs

Minnesota vs. Carolina
Dad #1: Panthers
Dad #2: Panthers

Pittsburg vs. NYJ
Dad #1: Jets
Dad #2: Jets

Tampa Bay vs. Philly
Dad #1: Eagles
Dad #2: Eagles

Green Bay vs. Baltimore
Dad #1: Packers
Dad #2: Ravens (Grrr....)

St. Louis vs. Houston
Dad #1: Texans
Dad #2: Texans

Jacksonville vs. Denver
Dad #1: Broncos
Dad #2: Broncos

Tennessee vs. Seahawks
Dad #1: Seahawks
Dad #2: Seahawks

New England vs. New Orleans
Dad #1: Patriots
Dad #2: Saints

San Francisco vs. Arizona
Dad #1: 49ers
Dad #2: 49ers

Washington vs. Dallas
Dad #1: Cowboys
Dad #2: Cowboys

Indy vs. San Diego
Dad #1: Colts
Dad #2: Colts

Hope your weekend is full of delicious food and football!

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew

What a Crock: Apple Butter

We don't know about you, but the Cool Dads crew loves fall. We love the leaves changing colors, football season, and everything pumpkin flavored. Fun fact: the Cool Dads Crew had their first conference call EVER to discuss the blog on the first official day of Pumpkin Spice Latte season. Yeah, we love fall that much.

Here in the Wisconsin test kitchen, we went apple picking a few weeks ago. Note to Wisconsin residents: we made the drive to The Little Farmer in Fond du Lac and had THE BEST experience. The farm is adorable, there are a ton of reasonably priced activities for the kids, and the apples were delicious. It was well worth the drive from Milwaukee. Here's their website if you're interested in making the trip:
http://www.mytlf.com/

Seriously... we crushed on this place so hard. It's the best apple farm experience we have ever had. We even picked (and sampled) twenty pounds of apples before the day was over.

We had big plans for all twenty pounds of apples. Rebecca is more than a little obsessed with canning and preserving every scrap of produce she can get her hands on. Every year for Christmas she even gives out boxes of homemade jams, jellies, pickles, beets and other preserved items she's made throughout the year. This year she had her heart set on apple butter.

For those not in the know, apple butter is basically apple jelly. It has a nice smooth texture- which is where the 'butter' part comes in. It's delicious on toast, or even in a Panini with ham and brie cheese. Once you get a jar in your fridge, you start finding a million different (and delicious) things to do with apple butter.

After a quick Pinterest search, we discovered you could make apple butter in a crock pot. So we were off and running!

Crock Pot Apple Butter
Recipe courtesy of www.healthylivingrevelations.com

12-18 apples, cored and quartered- no need to peel them
2 cups apple cider
Cinnamon
Nutmeg

Clean the apples, quarter and core them and place them in the crock pot.

 

Pour the cider over the apples, and place the lid on the crock pot. Cook on high for four hours. After four hours, your apples should look something like this:

Take a potato masher and mash the apples.

Let the apple mixture cool slightly, and then either use an immersion blender to puree the apple mixture until smooth, or ladle the product into a blender and blend it until smooth. I know what you're thinking... "There's NO WAY apples with the peels still on are going to blend to a smooth texture." I promise you- it will work. Once blended, this is what you end up with:

You're not done yet... the product is too runny to be true apple butter. Cook on low for another three hours- without a cover on the crock pot. After three hours, the product should be thick enough. You're going for a slightly thicker than apple sauce consistency. Once you get to the desired consistency, season with cinnamon and nutmeg.

This should yield approximately three pints of apple butter.

Now it's decision time. You have a few options when it comes with what to do with your three pints.
1) Let the product cool, spoon it into a clean container and put it in the refrigerator. You have a month to consume it.
2) Let the product cool, spoon it into freezer safe containers and freeze. This product freezes and thaws incredibly well.
3) Spoon the hot product into clean, sterilized mason jars. Top with sterilized seals and bands, and tighten to finger tightness. Process in a hot, boiling water bath for ten minutes. Remove, and make sure the jars seal. They will stay fresh without refrigeration for one year.

 We tried the warmed apple butter the next morning on pancakes (See? Another creative use!) and it was delicious. It's a whole day process to make the apple butter this way, but the results speak for themselves.

Give this recipe a try while apples are still in season; and you'll be able to enjoy the fruits (ha!) of your labor all winter long.

Stay Cool,
The Cool Dads Crew